Instruction Discussion

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with members of the Rebel Robotics team from Great Neck South High School and their coach as they prepare for the world championships of the FIRST Robotics Competition. The team shows how collaboration is the key to their success and how they have developed skills beyond S.T.E.M.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Andre Early, Strategic Executive, Leadership Development Practitioner and Founder of the Early Impact Empowerment Group, about HOW students and early-career professionals can prepare themselves for success in the field of their choice. They get enough of the WHAT they need to do, now they get the HOW - the importance of developing a plan.

In a discussion to combat the use of AI by students, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with educator, author, and technology specialist Mindy Bingham about the shift of many educators to writing and workbooks to show a student’s mastery. They also discuss how writing aids in the cognitive process - something no AI model can replicate.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Christine Elgersma, Senior Editor of Learning Content Strategy at Common Sense Media, about how parents and caregivers can help students of all ages curate their digital footprint and think about the repercussions of their actions before posting.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Ryan Quinn, Education and Policy Reporter for “Inside Higher Ed,” about the “Do No Harm” provision of the “Big Beautiful Bill” that calls for the elimination of federal student aid for any college degree that cannot show that it earns more than a student with only a high school diploma.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Certified Academic Language Therapist and Dyslexia Therapist, Faye Bankler Casell about diagnosis and treatment options available to parents and caregivers regarding their children with dyslexia. They discuss home remedies they can use without relying solely on the school or district.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Education Reporter for the Hechinger Report, Rachel Fradette, about the growing interest in microschools and whether they can be a viable alternative for families and school districts to turn to when seeking the best educational landscape for their children.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with award-winning author and certified executive coach, L. Michelle Smith, about her new book, “Call and Response - 10 Leadership Lessons from the Black Church”. They cover topics such as mental health and making meaningful connections and the importance of properly naming your emotions in the moment - a talent even adults have difficulty with.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with photographer and award-winning author Andrea Simon about her new book, “Did You Have the Life You Wanted?”, and they discuss how historic societal events can shape our life decisions, as well as the importance of friendships and other positive relationships in helping us deal with the realizations of our decisions.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with author and entrepreneur Alicia McKenzie about her new book, “These ABC’s Belong to Me!”, that shows ways to help children (and adults) rethink the negative words they may use towards one another or themselves. It serves as a reminder that we need to be more patient and empathetic and not react so quickly. 

Kevin Boston-Hill talks with educator and Amazon best-selling author Keshawn Dodds about the themes present in his “Menzuo” book series and how to encourage students to read and write for themselves.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with long time educator, author, and Long Island native Denise Leary about her new book, “My Father Said I Love You Every Day of Your Life”. They cover topics such as living in foster care and adoption, dealing with hardship and heartache as a preteen, and the importance of building legacy - all with the common thread of the importance of dads in a child’s life.

After interviewing the leaders of PETA’s TeachKind curriculum, Kevin Boston-Hill now gets to sit down with the TeachKind 2025 Elementary School Teacher of the Year, Nicole Rivera, about how she incorporates the TeachKind lessons in her classroom and how she introduces a Vegan lifestyle to her students - including having a turkey-less holiday dinner.

Kevin Boston-Hill invites back to the classroom, linguist Dr. Coral Hoh, who has made groundbreaking progress in recognizing and treating learning disorders, including dyslexia, to discuss how artificial intelligence can be used to provide hope to students with dyslexia.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the CEO and Curriculum Architect of Technovation, Tara Chklovski, about how to support teachers in using Artificial Intelligence to teach their students and encourage entry into the STEM fields, especially with underserved populations.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Samantha Crowe, Associate Director of Science Education for PETA’s TeachKind, about the new product - Kind Frog - a silicone-based alternative to using actual frogs for dissection. The shift not only saves schools and districts money, but teaches students empathy and addresses student mental health.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with author and PhD student Heather Colley about her new book, The Gilded Butterfly Effect, that deals with the not-so-good social aspect of higher education and what students can do to not lose themselves in the social atmosphere.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Kevin Krebs, Founder of HelloCollege, whose mission is to help families navigate the college preparation process through personalized guidance. They discuss what families can do to mitigate expenses and stress associated with the college process. In a word, it takes PREPARATION. 

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with New York Times bestselling author Alyson Richman about her new book, “The Missing Pages”, and how historical fiction novels can be used to spark an interest in reading and history.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with trained soprano vocalist, former Director of Marketing for The Joffrey Ballet, and author of the book - The Voice I Just Heard, Susan Dormady Eisenberg, about the lack of support and encouragement for students who wish to pursue a career in the arts, vocal arts in particular and what they need to prepare for when pursuing their dreams.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with former U.S. Secretary of Education and current SUNY Chancellor Dr John King to get his thoughts about the state of education in the U.S. and to discuss his new book, “Teacher by Teacher: The People who Change Our Lives”.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Managing Editor for Education at U.S. News and World Report, Dr. LaMont Jones, Jr, about the current rankings of over 1700 colleges, what they mean, and how families can use this information to make their college decisions.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Education Technology Consultant and Author, Chris Linder, about how to obtain resources to develop a homeschool or hybrid-homeschool program that will provide your children with the supplemental material needed to pick up where the school curriculum leaves off and to help them become critical thinkers.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Washington Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist Nathan Bowling about what it is like to teach abroad and gives his thoughts on how to improve the American education system.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the education reporter with the Hechinger Report, Neal Morton, about the proposed national school voucher program and the potential implications for low-income families and schools.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Washington and nationally recognized screentime expert, The Screentime Consultant, Emily Cherkin, about the state of EdTech in our schools and what we can do to close the “Pandora’s Box” of technology use unleashed on our schools and students.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with college admissions expert and Founder and CEO of Cardinal Education, Allen Koh, about how the use of AI has greatly influenced how college applications are being scored. It seems many schools are not giving as much attention to the essay, while others are not reading them at all. Even more alarming, some admissions officers spend less than 10 minutes reviewing each application.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with David Griffith, Associate Director of Research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, about his latest study that asks the question, “Do the returns on teacher experience fizzle out?” Is it possible that teachers stop getting better after a few years on the job, or do they continue to get better? Kevin and David discuss the implications of providing constant teaching support.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with journalist and professor, Rick Skwiot, about his book “The Bootlegger’s Bride” and the importance of using historical fiction to encourage a love of reading and history among our students, as well as teach about writing the narrative and chronicling your family history.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dr. Laura Nicole Miller, teacher of organizational communication marketing and management, about how we can get our students to put the phone down and read, at least for a moment, and create critical thinkers.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with retired teacher and award-winning author, Armida Espinosa, about her early struggles with self-doubt, documented in her book, “Brave Lolis Learns English” and what teachers and care-givers can do to recognize self-doubt in students and what they can do to overcome it, even as adults.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with author Howard Lewis about the message in his new book, “Leave Your Phone at the Door: The Joy of OFFLINE”. They discuss the impact cell phone usage has had on students in school as well as how we deal with each other as a society.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Pastor Natouchka Voigt about her new book, “Ruth’s Promise: A Tale of Loyalty, Love, and God’s Faithfulness” and discusses how the practices of journaling and reflection, as well as prayer, can help you come out of any adversity.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the Junior Achievement Social Innovation Challenge Team from Lincoln HS in Yonkers, NY, about their project to bring fresh, wholesome foods to neighborhoods classified as food deserts and for people who have food insecurities. The team consisted of teacher, Drilon Gojani, and students Aldijana Srdanovic and Nashelly Mendoza Martinez. Aldijana and Nashelly were one of three teams from New York selected to compete in the national competition in Atlanta, Ga. They were assisted by community volunteers, Lawrence Berger, Federico Arellano, and Joey Parker. Junior Achievement USA was represented by the Senior Manager of Programs, Caroline Tzelios.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with educator, author, and content creator Blupoetres, about her latest book of sonnets, “Call Her Woman and Bend the Knee: A Heroic Crown of Sonnets”. Among topics discussed are motivations for the book, writing as therapy, and preserving cultural history.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with the Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning and author of the book, “Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education,” Isabelle Hau about how we should rethink our educational approach to prepare students to be successful in our changing global economy.

In the ongoing effort to provide outlets that support our mental well-being, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dean of School Culture and author of the affirmation journals: “Glow Getter and Glow Getter, Jr”, Ellashia Spaulding, about the importance of starting your day with positive self-talk and meaningful reflection on stressful events - no matter the age. Ms. Spaulding also reveals the process of developing a book and having it sold on Amazon.

In hopes of expanding the dialogue on race in our schools and our country, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Kyle Williams, CEO of A Long Talk About the Uncomfortable Truth, about how to introduce and expand the conversation regarding race in this country. To find out more and join the conversation follow this link: https://padlet.com/ALongTalk2020/a-long-talk-follow-up-info-o6dmkhrj8yac679i

In a lively conversation, Kevin Boston-Hill and clinical psychologist, Dr. Doug Bolton, discuss the various styles of parenting that have been used  - what works and what doesn’t - and how we should consider about ourselves when raising the next generation of global citizens.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Raj Goyle, founder of the advocacy group, Phone Free New York, about why we should be in favor of education reform measures like banning cell phones from classrooms rather than dismantling the Department of Education.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dr Amy Jackson, Chief Early Learning Strategy Officer at Primrose Schools, about the importance of having children begin school-based learning as early as possible. Since the brain is 90% developed within the first 5 years, it may be worth exploring getting children in school early.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with DEI activist and author of the book, “A Brother’s Insight: Guidance on Defeating Racism and Advancing Freedom”, Dr. Joe-Joe McManus. They discuss the influence his early family life has had on his current attitudes about racism and what can be done to help to end it.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with author Tammie Francisque about her book, “Nobody’s Child - A Biography”, and discusses the important themes within that children and adults face in their lives, and how they can work through them.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with speaker and author Kevin Blaize about his journey to becoming an author and how students can use his example to explore the world of literature and how teachers can use his books to encourage their students.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Education Week Staff Writer and Instructional Technology expert Olina Banerji about the latest developments with cell phone bans in school and the use of AI by students, teachers and administrators.

As people of all ages and stations in their careers try to determine their next steps, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Brent Pohlman, CEO of Midwest Laboratories and author of the book, "Leaders Look Within". Their discussion explains that perhaps the best way to build your leadership capacity for others is to first develop your leadership capacity for yourself.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with CEO and author of “The Freedom Frameworks”, Jack M. Cohen, about how people of all ages and stages in their careers can develop a plan for career development.

As the debate over whether subjects like Algebra should even be taught in schools, Kevin Boston-Hill turns the focus to how schools can help their struggling students regain time lost due to the pandemic as well as other reasons for low achievement. Listen as he and guest Joe Philleo (CEO of EDIA Learning) discuss how the Edia platform uses Artificial Intelligence to overcome barriers such as language to help students learn math, no matter the topic or grade level.

As educators fight the constant battle of making sure students do not use A.I. to do their assignments, Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Dr. Marc-Oliver Gewaltig, co-founder of Thesify, an A.I.-driven writing platform designed to tutor and support students through the writing process, rather than produce the final product for them.

Kevin Boston-Hill speaks with Senior Leadership Consultant at Franklin-Covey, Todd Davis, about the sustained success of “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People”, 35 years after it was first published. The Habits are applicable to adults and K-12 students alike.